Pride, Prejudice, and Prudence

 **As a reader, we all know what happens when you open a book and hate the main character -- you throw the book across the room and stop reading. But what do you do as a writer?

After Henry Wade made his appearance in The Reluctant Grooms series, and I met his nieces, I thought they were all very lovely, and it would be a breeze to share their stories.

My mother's illness aside, (finding time to write was another thing altogether) I wrote the first three stories (Henry REGRETS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Faith DUNBURY PARK and Hope WHEN HOPE AND PASSION COLLIDE) and follwing the series arc, began formulating the idea for Prudence. I knew from the beginning she would be a hard character to write because -- I didn't like her.

Prudence Shaffer

Prudence is a spoiled rotten brat with no compassion or empathy for anyone other than herself. She is cruel and contemptible and even her cousins are afraid of her wicked tongue. Hence the title, JUDGING PRUDENCE. I thought it apt because everyone judged her, including me.

I knew she had to have some redeeming qualities, however, I couldn't see them. She was a mean little witch and just wanted everything her way.

 Writing her story every day was like pulling teeth. I despised her and just didn't think she deserved a happy ending.

However, as part of Henry Wade's family, how could I do that? As a writer of romance, how could I not let her find her HEA? As a reader, if I left her out of the series, that would mean I would have to rewrite all the other books, and that was not going to happen.

Characters, like people, generally have a secret they try to hide from the world. It may be

Alexander Lowell,
Viscount Abernathy

big or small, but most often, they don't want anyone to know about it. Well, I finally found Prudence's and it's a whopper. It explains why she is the way she is.

Once I realized what she was hiding, the story seemed to improve, the flow seemed much better, the intrigue and plot line worked, and I was a happy little writer once more.

Does Prudence get her Happily Ever After? I'm not sure. I'm not finished writing yet, but what I do know is that she will have to change her ways if she wants to get what she deserves. And this will be the fun part of writing her story -- her comeuppance.

I'm hoping to have the story finished by Thanksgiving, but I said that last year too. Let's hope things work out a little bit better this time around.

**The previous was a post I wrote in September 2018.

I have finally finished Prudence's story. I did not work on that book again until February 2021.Two and a half years. I finished it in April of this year. Then I had to let it sit for another month so I could edit it again. But now it is out and published. 

I also changed the title from JUDGING PRUDENCE to PRIDE, PREJUDICE, and PRUDENCE. I thought it was a better title after watching the original on TV one night.

For those of you who still follow this blog or my writing, I'm pleased to announce that the next book in the series CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME is also ready to be released. I need to do a final edit, but that shouldn't take long. Promise.

On a personal note, the last few years have been a struggle, dealing with my parents' health issues, and having a sports fanatic for a child. Unfortunately, within the limited amount of time per day I was given, something else had to go and that was my writing. 

I believe now that I am in a somewhat better state of mind, and the child is in high school, the writing has become easier, and I would like to think I can finish the Dunbury series in a timely manner.

With Patience, Mercy, and Lady Catherine to go, I woud like to say by the end of 2022. Then again, perhaps I shouldn't give myself time limits.

Thanks for reading!

Anne Gallagher (c) 2021